Shahriar ruled out of SL Tests

Bangladesh's pre-tour misery continued after Shahriar Nafees' hand injury ruled him out of the Test series against Sri Lanka. Nafees told the chief selector, Akram Khan, of his lack of confidence in gripping the bat comfortably. He will be replaced by Mohammad Ashraful who has scored two centuries this domestic season. Ashraful is making a comeback into the Test side after 15 months.

"Shahriar Nafees had a freak accident at home couple of days ago, so he
has withdrawn from the tour," coach Shane Jurgensen said. "He will be
border-line for the first Test, so we want to ensure that we go into the
Test series with a settled group, so Mohammad Ashraful will replace him."

Nafees injured his left palm while trying to clean his bat with a sharp
object on Monday and required stitches. Physio Vibhav said on Tuesday that Nafees would be fit in time for the first Test, but the decision remained
with the batsman.

"As far as Shahriar Nafees is concerned, I don't think
it [the injury] would be a big problem," Singh said. "His stitch should be removed in seven days time and he can start batting after 10 days. We just need to
alter his training schedule."

The physio's schedule would have meant Nafees being ready to bat on March
7, the day before the first Test, but it is clear the Bangladesh
management are unwilling to travel to Sri Lanka with a player unlikely for
the practice match before the Test. Already, Tamim Iqbal's wrist injury means he
could be rested for the three-day game in Matara to have him fully fit for
the Test.

Nafees' replacement has also created some confusion. Ashraful was
not in the 25-man preliminary squad, having been kept out due to his
inconsistency. Captain Mushfiqur Rahim however said that the
batsman's experience in Sri Lanka and his recent centuries in the BCL and
BPL have given him confidence.

"We need someone like him in the side
because we have plenty of newcomers like Anamul Haque, Mominul Haque and
Marshall Ayub," Mushfiqur said. "He has also made runs in Sri Lanka and is currently in
decent form, so I hope his confidence will be better and he can be a
positive to the side."

I am not too disappointed with this change. Ashraful averages 40+ and has scored 4 centuries against SL and also adds a bowling option. If we are going to put the spotlight on his less than average career so far I feel his record against SL can't be ignored. I have always felt that Ashraful is more effective now a days against medium pacers and spinner as on numerous occasions his downfall was due to hooking a fast & short delivary. Slower & lower pitches in SL are much more negotiable. Naeem and Shakib are the bigger loss. While I hope Marshall / Anamul will cover Naeem's absence, bangladesh will really miss Shakib's skills. With the likes of Tamim, Anamul, Mushfiq & Mahmadullah the batting looks ok ( but not spectacular ) but the bowling line up will struggle to take 20 wickets without Shakib. One thing which really impressed me about BD in the last 18 months is their fighting spirit. So I hope they keep on fighting. Go Tigers

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 2, 2013, 23:10 GMT

@Bangladesh5 - You're not making much sense because these are Raqibul International stats they don't lie even his domestic stats are not much different. Just because he performed in a one off final and failed most of the time earlier in the season doesn't mean he should automatically be selected. Yes I do know much about the game you don't know me :P

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 2, 2013, 20:51 GMT

@Rafelgibt. Thanks brother. That's what I'm trying to get at. Ash should not have been selected. There were better performers in the domestic circuit. Agreed that domestic quality in BD is poor but if that's the case, then why can't Ash score? I've watched Raqibul and yes his stats aren't great but he has quality. Don't believe me? Coach Ian Pont has stated numerous times that he's a good batsman who works very hard and is driven to get better. Ash is also very hard working individual but he has a low cricketing IQ and can't take pressure. Raqibul has shown higher cricketing IQ in the time he's played and dug BD out of tough situations.

Like I said before, I wish Ash all the best and really hope he does well.

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 2, 2013, 20:44 GMT

@The_Ashes. All you did there was bring up stats without bringing up anything else. If that's how you base your argument, then it shows you don't know much about the game and therefore it would be impossible to argue with you.

POSTED BY
Rafelgibt
on | March 2, 2013, 16:57 GMT

@Bangladesh5 on (March 1, 2013, 14:48 GMT) Im 100% agree with you that either Mehrab jnr or Raqibul should have been got into the team.As Herath is there in the SL team and most of the overs he is going to bowl; so my tag was for Mehrab jnr.But not in my wildest dreams Ashraful.I really like the tag you mentioned about Asraful -"If an avg of 23 after 50+ Tests and 150+ ODI's doesn't prove your a failure, then I don't know what will."Very well said brother.

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 1, 2013, 19:17 GMT

@Htc-Android - Anamul is better batsman than any Sri Lanka young batsman :P he was also the top run scorer at the under-19 world cup last year by a distance :P

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 1, 2013, 19:15 GMT

@Bangladesh5 - You're funny! Raqibul, Junaid, Aftab etc are all the same. Raqibul averaged 19 in tests and averages 27 in one day Cricket despite playing over 50 games with still no 100. He is not a talented player and just because players perform at domestic level doesn't mean he's cut out for International level. Bangladesh first class structure is of low standard.

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 1, 2013, 14:48 GMT

@warm_coffee. What Mahmood said. What's the point of playing so many matches and still not being able to learn? What kind of advice can he give? He himself has been a failure at the international level. And what type of message are you sending to the other domestic players who performed better than him and still got overlooked? You have to pick players that give you a better chance to win rather than go with past performances. Raqibul might have not gotten his Test career going just yet but he's still a very young batsman. Also he's got qualities that other Bangladeshi batsmen don't have. He's calm, cool headed, and has a sound defensive technique. Not to mention he's extremely solid temperamentally. Also the thing is there is some expectation for him still because his career isn't finished but Ash has basically proved his career is over. Sad but true. If an avg of 23 after 50+ Tests and 150+ ODI's doesn't prove your a failure, then I don't know what will.

POSTED BY
Htc-Android
on | March 1, 2013, 1:39 GMT

@AzAb12754. Looks like u never know the old SLteams history. Players like sanga, Mahela, Vaas, Murali, Malinga(he never played cricket until his 20s), Mendis neve played for SL u19 team.lol... Anamul scored a hundred in match so whats the big deal. U guys speak like u already produced a lara/Amla.

POSTED BY
on | February 28, 2013, 18:11 GMT

@warm_coffee With experience you get better, honed with more physical skills, wiser - using something called the brain and ultimately earn the word "professional". Professionals do make occasional mistakes at their work, but they are far from being inconsistent and inaccurate. Can you say the same thing about Ash, honestly. I understand the enthusiasm and emotional euphoria he brings to the table, but bottom line, current form and performance should be the number one criteria and guiding principle "before anything" to bring anybody in. So, you be the best judge.

POSTED BY
FaysalKabir
on | February 27, 2013, 8:26 GMT

I am not too disappointed with this change. Ashraful averages 40+ and has scored 4 centuries against SL and also adds a bowling option. If we are going to put the spotlight on his less than average career so far I feel his record against SL can't be ignored. I have always felt that Ashraful is more effective now a days against medium pacers and spinner as on numerous occasions his downfall was due to hooking a fast & short delivary. Slower & lower pitches in SL are much more negotiable. Naeem and Shakib are the bigger loss. While I hope Marshall / Anamul will cover Naeem's absence, bangladesh will really miss Shakib's skills. With the likes of Tamim, Anamul, Mushfiq & Mahmadullah the batting looks ok ( but not spectacular ) but the bowling line up will struggle to take 20 wickets without Shakib. One thing which really impressed me about BD in the last 18 months is their fighting spirit. So I hope they keep on fighting. Go Tigers

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 2, 2013, 23:10 GMT

@Bangladesh5 - You're not making much sense because these are Raqibul International stats they don't lie even his domestic stats are not much different. Just because he performed in a one off final and failed most of the time earlier in the season doesn't mean he should automatically be selected. Yes I do know much about the game you don't know me :P

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 2, 2013, 20:51 GMT

@Rafelgibt. Thanks brother. That's what I'm trying to get at. Ash should not have been selected. There were better performers in the domestic circuit. Agreed that domestic quality in BD is poor but if that's the case, then why can't Ash score? I've watched Raqibul and yes his stats aren't great but he has quality. Don't believe me? Coach Ian Pont has stated numerous times that he's a good batsman who works very hard and is driven to get better. Ash is also very hard working individual but he has a low cricketing IQ and can't take pressure. Raqibul has shown higher cricketing IQ in the time he's played and dug BD out of tough situations.

Like I said before, I wish Ash all the best and really hope he does well.

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 2, 2013, 20:44 GMT

@The_Ashes. All you did there was bring up stats without bringing up anything else. If that's how you base your argument, then it shows you don't know much about the game and therefore it would be impossible to argue with you.

POSTED BY
Rafelgibt
on | March 2, 2013, 16:57 GMT

@Bangladesh5 on (March 1, 2013, 14:48 GMT) Im 100% agree with you that either Mehrab jnr or Raqibul should have been got into the team.As Herath is there in the SL team and most of the overs he is going to bowl; so my tag was for Mehrab jnr.But not in my wildest dreams Ashraful.I really like the tag you mentioned about Asraful -"If an avg of 23 after 50+ Tests and 150+ ODI's doesn't prove your a failure, then I don't know what will."Very well said brother.

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 1, 2013, 19:17 GMT

@Htc-Android - Anamul is better batsman than any Sri Lanka young batsman :P he was also the top run scorer at the under-19 world cup last year by a distance :P

POSTED BY
The_Ashes
on | March 1, 2013, 19:15 GMT

@Bangladesh5 - You're funny! Raqibul, Junaid, Aftab etc are all the same. Raqibul averaged 19 in tests and averages 27 in one day Cricket despite playing over 50 games with still no 100. He is not a talented player and just because players perform at domestic level doesn't mean he's cut out for International level. Bangladesh first class structure is of low standard.

POSTED BY
Bangladesh5
on | March 1, 2013, 14:48 GMT

@warm_coffee. What Mahmood said. What's the point of playing so many matches and still not being able to learn? What kind of advice can he give? He himself has been a failure at the international level. And what type of message are you sending to the other domestic players who performed better than him and still got overlooked? You have to pick players that give you a better chance to win rather than go with past performances. Raqibul might have not gotten his Test career going just yet but he's still a very young batsman. Also he's got qualities that other Bangladeshi batsmen don't have. He's calm, cool headed, and has a sound defensive technique. Not to mention he's extremely solid temperamentally. Also the thing is there is some expectation for him still because his career isn't finished but Ash has basically proved his career is over. Sad but true. If an avg of 23 after 50+ Tests and 150+ ODI's doesn't prove your a failure, then I don't know what will.

POSTED BY
Htc-Android
on | March 1, 2013, 1:39 GMT

@AzAb12754. Looks like u never know the old SLteams history. Players like sanga, Mahela, Vaas, Murali, Malinga(he never played cricket until his 20s), Mendis neve played for SL u19 team.lol... Anamul scored a hundred in match so whats the big deal. U guys speak like u already produced a lara/Amla.

POSTED BY
on | February 28, 2013, 18:11 GMT

@warm_coffee With experience you get better, honed with more physical skills, wiser - using something called the brain and ultimately earn the word "professional". Professionals do make occasional mistakes at their work, but they are far from being inconsistent and inaccurate. Can you say the same thing about Ash, honestly. I understand the enthusiasm and emotional euphoria he brings to the table, but bottom line, current form and performance should be the number one criteria and guiding principle "before anything" to bring anybody in. So, you be the best judge.

POSTED BY
Joamiq
on | February 28, 2013, 17:57 GMT

Perhaps in some dreamworld Ashraful averages 40+, but in reality he does not average even 30 in any format. How many failed comebacks do we need to see from him before it is decided that he simply is not good enough to play for Bangladesh?

POSTED BY
Warm_Coffee
on | February 28, 2013, 15:01 GMT

@Bangladesh5@Mahmood: "Experience" was for Ashraful selection. He has played over 50 tests and because Anamul and Marshall will be playing, any more inexperience players can put our team in an awkward situation. Plus Ashraful has a very good record against Sri Lanka with 4 test 100s. Virtually every Bangladeshi is somewhat fond of Ashraful therefore our new young players playing around him will ease the burden a bit so there won't be much pressure.

POSTED BY
on | February 28, 2013, 13:11 GMT

Agree with Bangladesh5. Raqibul would have been a better pick. Raqibul is showing signs of maturity and consistency. Bad call.

POSTED BY
AzAb12754
on | February 28, 2013, 10:54 GMT

@Htc-Android: Warm-up doesn't prove anything hence why its called "warm-up". Its the series which will tell us a lot but need to keep in mind Sri Lanka are still using old players like Sanga and Herath which in the end may be the difference but if they do if you just take their stats away in this series, you will see which set of youngsters are the most talented. Hope you haven't forgotten the Sri Lanka under-19 team which lost to us, just imagine when they one day go up against our Tamim, Shakib , Mahmudullah etc common sense it was forthcoming, Sri Lanka test king Murali is gone forever from the International arena. :P

POSTED BY
lukecannon
on | February 28, 2013, 7:50 GMT

Oh man.... I don't even know why BAN tries. The result is a whitewash. Get over it BAN. Try Zimbabwe or Ireland. Seriously.

Ash gets in despite averaging a 13 in NCL and 30 in BCL while Raqibul averaged a 30 in NCL and 54 in BCL. Not to mention he performed the best in the title game with a 125 and 68 while Ash failed to notch up a 50. All because of past performances. Are we trying to be like India? Who cares what Ash did so many years ago. He's an even worse batsman than he was during those times. I agree Raqibul has also disappointed but he's been far more consistent in the chances he's gotten than Ash has been. I wish all our players the best whenever they play so good luck to Ash but have zero confidence in him to perform. Hope he proves me wrong.

POSTED BY
Htc-Android
on | February 27, 2013, 23:06 GMT

@AzAb12754. Lets what u can do in the warm up match against our youngsters. I expect u to beat/ dominate our young team in the warm up match as most of claim you have better youngsters than us.

POSTED BY
AzAb12754
on | February 27, 2013, 19:43 GMT

@Baseball: Yes that's right rely on your old guys Sanga, Mahela...because you know Sri Lanka are becoming a weak team. I don't really care mate whether your bowlers have 'lethal' inswingers or something, you need to have the right conditions first for swing bowling to take affect which I doubt will happen much in this tour. Yes its true unlikely Bangladesh will beat Sri Lanka in tests but can Sri Lanka thrash Bangladesh by an innings? sorry NO!!! don't think you know much about Cricket to be honest :)

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 19:19 GMT

@Baseball-Sucks: those days are gone when Mendis used to be a threat in test cricket. At present playing him at test level isn't that difficult; and we do have spinners with variations that might just be enough to tilt the match in our favour....hopefully we will continue to rise even more!

POSTED BY
supporter_of_minnows
on | February 27, 2013, 18:51 GMT

their is also a player called rakibul hasan who scored a century n a fifty in the BCL final & had been a good test batman!! i guess the selectors only think abt giving ash a chance rather than rakibul ( who ofcourse was not good for bd in the past in odis but TESTS) seriouslyyy experience is of no use if the player is performing bad almost evrytime ( except for those meaningless centuries in bpl/bcl where he had been dropped atleast once)

POSTED BY
TheRisingTeam
on | February 27, 2013, 18:46 GMT

@Baseball-Sucks:- Sri Lanka are a declining team sorry but once Mahela, Dilshan, Saga and Herath are gone, Sri Lanka are going straight downhill good luck in getting the old Sri Lanka back again which also had Vass, De Silva etc :p :)

POSTED BY
aewahid
on | February 27, 2013, 18:15 GMT

Shahriar for Ashraful is a like for like replacement, so overall, no harm has been done. Ash can also bowl a bit and is a more sprightly fielder.

POSTED BY
Baseball-Sucks
on | February 27, 2013, 17:58 GMT

@Posted by AzAb12754 ; Well, your comment shows that you don't know much about the world Cricket. SL don't have bowlers who can exceed 130km/h . Huh haaa.. Have you ever heard of players called Eranga, Welagedara and so on. They all bowl over 140+. This is not India but Sri Lanka :P Only Kula is doing 130's but he possesses lethal inswingers. And pls don't come here expecting flat pitches in Sri Lanka. Those days are gone. Only R.Premadasa St. is a bit favorable for batsmen. So Kula can swing everywhere in Sri Lanka. You may have spinners. But does any of your spinners possess variations like Herath or specially Mendis (Oh yeah..Mendis is playing :P) does ? Let me give the answer. NO. So if you compare a team like West Indies which comprises T20 hit n giggle players to Sri Lanka which comprises the batting legends like Sanga , Mahela and think you can do better, you are sadly mistaken. By the way good luck !! :D

I think this is a greet chance for Mohammad ashraful and again he will proved that he is a greet batsman.

Good Luck Bangladesh.

POSTED BY
AzAb12754
on | February 27, 2013, 15:47 GMT

There's nothing to fear of the Sri Lankan team, they're not West Indies that have big strong men which Bangladesh handled successfully. None of their bowlers in this test series can bowl over 130 kph and unless it swinging, their fast bowlers won't be a problem in fact their fast bowlers are just as worse as ours. Spin will be the difference and even if Mendis and Herath do tear out batting order apart, our spinners will do the same to you if the wicket is turning. You even lost to our spinners in the Asia Cup where the wicket was flat just imagine if it was turning. Bangladesh is actually very close to Sri Lanka now. Gazi with his off spin, Sunny with left arm and Marshall with leg spin along with Mahmudullah is plenty of spinners to tourble Sri Lanka. Drawn series is more likely to be honest :P

POSTED BY
masud69
on | February 27, 2013, 15:40 GMT

Once I read a comment on cricinfo about Ashraful " The boy who refuses to grow up".
That's the problem with Ashraul, after so many years in the international stage he is still too childish and immature. In order to be successful in the test Ashraful must avoid to play those stupid hook shorts on short ball. I wish him all the success.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 15:19 GMT

@karmana: Yes Rajin is very active in Domestic first class and club crickets. His current stat is belw. In fact he is doing good in domestic first class tournament but just not enough to get a nod. He is one of those players, like many talented tigers,seemed struggled to apply his skills and to amp up the mental strenght for International arena. First-class 109 194 15 6317 146 35.29 14 31 95

POSTED BY
Ain_EL_Sabet
on | February 27, 2013, 15:16 GMT

shahrier plays test as if he is playing odi or t20 ! I think this decision to replace him with ashraful isnt a bad idea.

POSTED BY
Sarfin
on | February 27, 2013, 15:13 GMT

@ Sinhya, I admire your humility. But I don't think we were the favorite to win the series. SL is always a very good team at home.

POSTED BY
Sarfin
on | February 27, 2013, 15:10 GMT

I have nothing against Ashraful. He is exciting and a match winner. But his recent form does not speak for him. He had a single century (and not a single fifty) in the recent first class season (NCL and BCL combined). I don't know if it is wise to select an out of form batsman based on his 2 to 3 years old performances. Also the decision is very confusing. At first the selectors did not pick Marshall to have a left hand batsman in the middle order. And now when we have lost a left hand batsman, they have selected a right hand batsman!!! That is self contradicting. They could have picked Mehrab Hossain Jnr who is a left handed batsman and the second highest run scorer in the last FC season. He scored four centuries (including a double) and 3 half-centuries with an average of 58. Its not about Ashraful and others. Its about the best possible squad and sorry to say, the team looks very fragile now.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 15:04 GMT

Ash is a great choice. He will walk in to the crease, get out even more quickly and the selectors will say "Agh". How many more chances will this man get?

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 14:13 GMT

Asharaful has done really well against Sri Lanka since his debut.No one should underestimate his talents. Looking forward to see a great series. ~ Sri lankan fan..

POSTED BY
Energetic.
on | February 27, 2013, 13:20 GMT

Yes I agree its true Bangladesh even when they are in trouble situations in the match, they don't give in anymore like a minnow usually does. BPL obviously changed the attitude of our players there's no need to fear foreign bowlers or bowl to their batsman if they can already do it successfully in BPL. In previous ODIs, Bangladesh couldn't even chase 60 in 20 overs now they can chase 150+ in 20 overs without difficulty. Our players lacked confidence all these years now they have it :P

Winning these test matches against Sri Lanka is unlikely as we don't have a quality bowling attack but I see no reason why we cannot make Sri Lanka sweat to the end.

POSTED BY
Energetic.
on | February 27, 2013, 13:09 GMT

Ashraful is experienced simple as that, don't blame the selectors for picking him at the last minute. I don't know if Shariar is ruled out because other reports suggests he might be okay or just miss the first test but this should be our IX -

Don't forget Mahmudullah is also a spinner and has improved a lot on his bowling now and Marshall has the ability to bowl leg spin even Ashraful and Nasir can bowl some overs.

POSTED BY
ThuhinTauhid
on | February 27, 2013, 13:08 GMT

Ashraful is no doubt one of the great players of Bangladesh. I like his batting... eagerly waiting to watch him playing against SL... and waiting for the most desired rare moments... when Ashraful plays, Bangladesh cares little to any team of the world...

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 12:27 GMT

Oh no, Ash, again? This time he might be quite ready for it though or so I hope. Don't think it would be wise to have him come at 1 down or 2 down. He should earn his way up the ladder and prove his worth. Mahmudullah has been consistently proving to be earning his rights to play higher up the order. He should be given a fair chance. Shahadat's got some pace, but he's not a wicket taking bowler and gives away way too many runs (many times I've seen the game just gets out of hand in a hurry when he's on). Don't think he reads the game well. He lacks the maturity of a genuine bowler's mindset. Anamul Haq is asolid addition to the line up and so is Shohag Gazi. Unlike other times, I'm actually counting on Ashraful this time.

POSTED BY
karamana
on | February 27, 2013, 12:26 GMT

Hi friends from Bangladesh - What happened to Rajin Saleh? I remember him doing well against Australia. Is he still active in the domestic circuit?

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 12:25 GMT

i think its a good replacement . WE know how good is ASH but his problem is he is not consistence . we hope he will make a good performence in bat this series not only country for his own sacke too.we want ASH play like SACHIN . i am really happy to see if someone get injured in BANGLADESH but still we can replace them by some outstanding players .

I think Asraful is perfect for this series without Sakib & other. Asraful is really a big player for the world but he cannot show this regularly. it is his fault. But we need him & his form of the previous Asraful now & to-morrow. he is our little master.

POSTED BY
TheRisingTeam
on | February 27, 2013, 11:11 GMT

Ashraful alreasy has 4 test 100s against Sri Lanka which back then had Murali and Vass, don't have much choice anyway because our squad looks too inexperience already.

POSTED BY
Rafelgibt
on | February 27, 2013, 11:06 GMT

Thats a good call Ashraful (Proven flop star) replaced for Nafees(Another hyped Flop star).What an amazing replacement!!!Hope this time Ashraful might make me wrong (Though Im 100% sure he will be flop).Im eagerly waiting to be wrong.Best wishes for rest of the youngsters and whole BAN cricket team.Roar TIGERS Roar>>>>

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 10:57 GMT

good to see ashraful after a long time,but we don't want him as a replacement..he is 'ashraful' so he must get a chance by performing..i wish that he perform very well and give an asnwer to the critics.and it may be his last chance.....

POSTED BY
asiacricket1234
on | February 27, 2013, 10:34 GMT

I was wondering is there some sort of competition going on between player that called "Lets Get Injured".

POSTED BY
ahelshahriar
on | February 27, 2013, 10:08 GMT

@sramesh_74 what do you think .....that Ashraful is not talented , he is the one
most talented Bangladeshi Players , so think then write!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 9:43 GMT

i just hope that, BD tigers will do well in SL. i like SL, they are true gentle and they play very good. It is a acid test for BD, can they proof them selves? can they perform without shakib and tamim?

BD did well against WI without shakib, i hope, they will do it again.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 9:16 GMT

At last BOSS is Back..hopefully it will be his turning point.....

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:59 GMT

I heard Tamim is not fully fit, so I guess, this tour is a good chance for the likes of Anamul, Mominul, Marshall, Gazi to establish themselves in the team.

POSTED BY
zapeta
on | February 27, 2013, 8:26 GMT

@Sinhya: I am great admirer of Srilankan cricket@Home. BD is never a favourite to win abroad. Mathews will start TESTS on high note.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:21 GMT

this is bad; I was expecting him to shine after the successful BPL!

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:16 GMT

If I was a selector I would tell Ashraful this is his last chance, if he doesn't take it he can forget about representing his country again. If he performs, great, it could be the moment where he finally twigs that he needs to realise his full potential to succeed at international level and if he fails, the team has an opening.

POSTED BY
Htc-Baseball
on | February 27, 2013, 7:55 GMT

When the tour was announced, Bangladesh were the favourites to win the series, but now with Shakib's injury, chances became 50-50, but now with one more injury bangladesh's chances have crumbled, we are now favourites to win this series, one more historic triumph at our home is coming soon

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 7:50 GMT

i wanted BD to do well in SL, but abesence of Shahryar and Shakib is sad. Hopefully Mushfique can inspire enough fight in the remaining lot

POSTED BY
sramesh_74
on | February 27, 2013, 7:37 GMT

Ashraful??? Again??? There must be a huge dearth of talent in B'desh...

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 7:35 GMT

Looks like some Bad Omen covered the whole squad.

POSTED BY
FaysalKabir
on | February 27, 2013, 8:26 GMT

I am not too disappointed with this change. Ashraful averages 40+ and has scored 4 centuries against SL and also adds a bowling option. If we are going to put the spotlight on his less than average career so far I feel his record against SL can't be ignored. I have always felt that Ashraful is more effective now a days against medium pacers and spinner as on numerous occasions his downfall was due to hooking a fast & short delivary. Slower & lower pitches in SL are much more negotiable. Naeem and Shakib are the bigger loss. While I hope Marshall / Anamul will cover Naeem's absence, bangladesh will really miss Shakib's skills. With the likes of Tamim, Anamul, Mushfiq & Mahmadullah the batting looks ok ( but not spectacular ) but the bowling line up will struggle to take 20 wickets without Shakib. One thing which really impressed me about BD in the last 18 months is their fighting spirit. So I hope they keep on fighting. Go Tigers

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 7:35 GMT

Looks like some Bad Omen covered the whole squad.

POSTED BY
sramesh_74
on | February 27, 2013, 7:37 GMT

Ashraful??? Again??? There must be a huge dearth of talent in B'desh...

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 7:50 GMT

i wanted BD to do well in SL, but abesence of Shahryar and Shakib is sad. Hopefully Mushfique can inspire enough fight in the remaining lot

POSTED BY
Htc-Baseball
on | February 27, 2013, 7:55 GMT

When the tour was announced, Bangladesh were the favourites to win the series, but now with Shakib's injury, chances became 50-50, but now with one more injury bangladesh's chances have crumbled, we are now favourites to win this series, one more historic triumph at our home is coming soon

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:16 GMT

If I was a selector I would tell Ashraful this is his last chance, if he doesn't take it he can forget about representing his country again. If he performs, great, it could be the moment where he finally twigs that he needs to realise his full potential to succeed at international level and if he fails, the team has an opening.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:21 GMT

this is bad; I was expecting him to shine after the successful BPL!

POSTED BY
zapeta
on | February 27, 2013, 8:26 GMT

@Sinhya: I am great admirer of Srilankan cricket@Home. BD is never a favourite to win abroad. Mathews will start TESTS on high note.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 8:59 GMT

I heard Tamim is not fully fit, so I guess, this tour is a good chance for the likes of Anamul, Mominul, Marshall, Gazi to establish themselves in the team.

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 9:16 GMT

At last BOSS is Back..hopefully it will be his turning point.....

POSTED BY
on | February 27, 2013, 9:43 GMT

i just hope that, BD tigers will do well in SL. i like SL, they are true gentle and they play very good. It is a acid test for BD, can they proof them selves? can they perform without shakib and tamim?